ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – As election night wrapped up Tuesday, Roanoke’s local races showed unexpected results and potential historic firsts, setting the stage for potential shifts in city politics.
Lead in Mayoral Race
In a turn of events, former mayor David Bowers took a narrow lead in the Roanoke mayoral race. Bowers, who has served the city in various political capacities over the years, led early Wednesday by a slim 19 votes over Vice Mayor Joe Cobb, as of the latest count.
Bowers, who has held office as a Democrat and an Independent, is now running as a Republican.
Cobb, a Democrat, was elected to Roanoke City Council in 2018 and again in 2022.
Last week, a Roanoke College Poll found Cobb was leading the race by double digits against Bowers and City Councilwoman Stephanie Moon-Reynolds.
But with provisional ballots still to be counted, the race remains too close to call. According to Virginia State law, provisional ballots will only be counted if the voter is determined eligible by the local electoral staff.
Under state law, a recount can be triggered if the margin between the candidates is less than 1% of the total votes cast, which could lead to a recount if the final tally remains tight.
Potential Historic Wins for City Council
Meanwhile, the race for three open seats on the Roanoke City Council could lead to historic results. Seven candidates were vying for the spots, but Democrats Phazhon Nash and Terry McGuire maintained strong leads throughout the evening. Both of them received more than 17 thousand votes. Republican Nick Hagan came on top of a tighter race of around a thousand vote difference for the third seat.
Nash, at just 25 years old, is set to become the youngest person ever elected to the Roanoke City Council. Nash, a Democrat, expressed his excitement about the victory: “You know, this election, I’ve dedicated a year of my life, over a year of my life, to this one day, and so to be able to serve the citizens of Roanoke and make my vision of a happier, healthier, safer community a reality—that means everything to me. I’ll be working every day for the next four years to make that happen,” Nash said.
McGuire, another Democrat, is projected to secure a place on the council. McGuire received the most votes out of the seven candidates. He spoke to the significance of the win: “It seems like I’m in a really good position right now, and it means a lot to me. This is my home. I’m from Roanoke. I care deeply about what happens to all of our city and neighborhoods, so it means a lot to me that people would put their trust in me to represent them,” McGuire said.
On the Republican side, Hagan says he made history as well, claiming the third council seat and becoming the first Republican elected to Roanoke’s city council in 24 years. His win marks a significant shift in a city where Democratic dominance has been the norm. “It’s the first time a Republican has won in Roanoke City in 24 years. It is unbelievably humbling. A large number of Roanokers are ready for change and tired of the same old politics,” Hagan said.
The election results for the city council race are still unofficial as they await final certification.
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